Wounded Warrior Programs
Wounded Warriors Weekend
Each winter, in February, Wintergreen Adaptive Sports hosts a Three-day “Wounded Warriors Weekend.” We offered adaptive snow sports, hearty buffet meals, and lodging for our wounded warrior students, family members, and caregivers.
For more information, call or email WAS executive director Kathleen Booth, at (910) 635-9616 or kathleen@skiwas.org
If you’re on the mountain when we hold this exciting event, stop in at the Mountain Inn or at the top of the Dobie Ski Trail to say hello to our honored guests, and look also for TV news coverage of this always inspiring event.
“The Wounded Warrior Weekend exceeded my expectations in every way. The program itself is artfully delivered by amazing staff and volunteers who clearly care about their mission and go out of their way to make the experience special. All weekend long I felt surrounded by kind, compassionate, and caring friends. Yes, the snowboarding was incredible, but the connections I made were solid gold. Thank you WAS!”
-Terry Hasenauer
The Rufus Cook Memorial Award
Awarded for determination in overcoming injuries to seek the joy and exhilaration of snow sports
To honor the memory of Staff Sergeant Rufus Cook, his family and friends have endowed The Rufus Cook Memorial Scholarship. The award has been presented each year beginning in 2016 to a Wounded Warrior participant at the annual Wintergreen Adaptive Sports Wounded Warrior Weekend, and it underwrites the participation of the WAS Wounded Warrior whose determination to overcome injuries and to seek the joy and exhilaration of snow sports best exemplifies the dedication and life-affirming service of Rufus Cook.
For more information on supporting this scholarship, email executivedirector.was@gmail.com.
RUFUS COOK MEMORIAL AWARD RECIPIENTS
2026 Kesha Bruington
2025 Paul Ashcroft
2024 Sarah Bonner
2023 Nima Emami
2022 Phillip Rodriguez
2021–Shirley Sealey
2020–Tyrone Sartor
2019–Armand Bonseigneur & Duane Brown
2018–Kemmini Washington & Jeff Haugh
2017–Seyward McKinney & Jason Ehrhart
2016–Jonathan Rivenbark
Staff Sergeant Rufus Cook
Staff Sergeant Rufus Cook first enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1979 at age 18, served with the 2nd Armored Division at Fort Hood, Texas, with the 7th Cavalry in Schweinfurt, Germany, and near the end of his distinguished military career, with the 630th Transportation Company in 2004-05 in Operation Iraqi Freedom. In March 2005, for his heroic service while stationed in Iraq, Staff Sergeant Cook was the recipient of the Bronze Star. Medically discharged in 2009 due to injuries sustained in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Staff Sergeant Cook contracted throat and lung cancer in 2012 and fought bravely until his death in June 2015.
“Every Day is Armed Services Day”
In addition to our much more well known warriors weekend, Wintergreen Adaptive Sports also sponsors a season-long “Every Day is Armed Services Day” program. In this program, during our mid-December to mid-March snow sports season, Wintergreen Adaptive Sports invites all military personnel injured during their military service to register for free adaptive snow sports lessons, including ski or snowboard rentals, any day of the week. Many of our warrior weekend guests have through this program become frequent adaptive snow sports students, stretching their skills, expanding their limits, and adopting a lifetime recreational pursuit; we hope to have many more!
Advance reservations are required and subject to availability.
Since 2005, this multifaceted program within WAS has assisted more than 700 Wounded Warriors and their families. To register for the program, use the registration button, below.